Nipple



Aug- 6, 1935. r Y, H. KURKJIAN' 2,010,637

NIPPLE Filedv April 28, 1953 ffm/ANT H. www /A/v diro: cq

` Patented Aug. 6, 1935 l UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE y NIPPLE Yervant H. Kurkjian, Paterson, N. J. Y Application April 28, 1933, Serial No. 668,436

s claims. (o1. 12s- 252) This invention relates to nursing bottle nipples Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view takenv on and has for its object the production of a simple line.88 of Figure 5. j e and efficient nipple having a plurality of bottle By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that neck gripping jaws which may be flexed to permit i designates' the bottle which Yis provided with the placing of the nipple over the neck of a bottle the usual reduced neck portion 2 having a bead' 5 with a minimum amount of effort, and which will of the conventional type. l eiiiciently grip the neck of the bottle after once The particularly constructed nipple 4 used in having been placed thereover in such a manner VConnection with the bottle I is provided with a as to prevent the nipple from becoming accidepending skirt 5 which skirt 5 is provided upon 10 dentally detached from the bottle neck. each side with a longitudinally extending key- 10 Another object Lof this invention is the producholel slot E terminating at its inner end in an ention of a simple and eicient nipple having a split larged preferably circular socket 1, which sockets bottle neck engaging skirt thereby providing a 1 are spaced from the bead portion 2l of the pair of flexible neck gripping jaws which will connipple t0 DIOVde a broad Hat COIllaCtiIig Deckform to the contour of the neck of the bottle and gripping band 24 between the bead 23 and the 15 constitute an eiiicient securing means to prevent Sockets 1 due vto the fact that the skirt 5 is of the accidental displacement of the nipple from the elastic material. This Structure Will divide the bottle neck, i skirt 5 into a pair of iiexible' jaws 8 which may be A further object of this invention is the pro-y 4flexed apart, es shown in Figure 1 when placing duction of a nursing bottle nipple having a piuthe nipple upon the bottle yto, facilitate the quick 20 rality of flexible jaws which provide the nipple applicatin 0f the nipple t0 the neck 0f the bottle skirt, the jaws being provided with beads at their and prevent the nipple from Slipping from the extremities to constitute ebutments against neck of the bottle Whilevit is being applied thereto. which the fingers may contact when placing the AS ShOWIi. partieularly'in Figures 1 and 2, a bead nipple over the neck of the bottle to insure an 9 iS formed around Vthe lower edge of the skirt 5 25' eiiicient and tight grip by the operator. and this bead also continues around the edges A still further object of this invention' is the 0f the Slots 5 and the edges 0f the Sockets 'l production 0f a, simple nipple of the character which are formed at the inner ends of the slots 6.

described having a and a reinforcing These Sockets 1 facilitate the Spreading Of 30 bead extending around the edges of the split skirt the jaws apart When applying the nippleV t0 the 30 y 40 thereto;

to prevent the tearing of the skirt while placing bottle and the Shape 0f this enlarged Socket as' the nipple over the neck of the bottle. vWell as the reinforcing bead which extends with these and other objects in view, this in- Hound the Sockets as Well as along the edges 0f vention consists of certain novel constructions, the Slots and the 10Wer-edge 0f the Skirt will Pre' 85 combinations and arrangements of parts as will Yent the Skirtsfl'om bemg tom 01 Split When the 35 be hereinafter fully described and claimed. Jaws aile flexed] Qr plled palrt "5 tgoullodt the In the drawing; case W en app ying e n ppe o e o e, Vas Figure 1 is a'iside elevation of a portion oi' a 'mstralted in Figui? 1- Thististrugur provides t1 in er no ony a means or preven ng e earing or bot e show g the man of applying the nip-ple ripping of the skirt or the nipple but a1so greatly 40 Figure 2 is a" side elevation of a portion of a reinforces the skirt and tends to cause the skirt n bottle .Showing the nipple mounted, thereon a to encircle and snugly t around the neck of the portion of the nipple being shown in section; hotttlle and adhere to the contour thereof, as soon Figure 3 is a section taken online 3-3 of as e Jaws are released' The bead 9-wh1h ex- Figure 2' tends around the lower edge of the skirt will also 45 Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified form constitute an eflicient means in the nature of an n abutment for contacting with the nger which 0f @he inventlonr partly encircles the neck of the bottle when ap- I .Figure 5 is a 51de elevation of a still further piyng lche 'nipple to the bottle and prevent the 5o modif-led form; and pull upon the nipplefrom slipping the nipple out 5o Figure 6 1s a side elevation of a bottle cap emof engagement with this gripping finger of the bodying the same principle of the invention as operator, The rib or bead 'upon the opposite disclosed in the present application. jaw which is gripped between the foreflnger and Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on line 'l-'I thumb of the right hand, as illustrated, will also 55 of Figure 2; add an additional gripping medium to prevent the 55 slipping of the rjaw from between the fingers as would be likely to happen if these hands were not provided due to the fact that the hands of the operator very often are slippery or moist from the milk which has just been placed in the bottle. The present invention is applicable both to the molded as well as the dipped type nipple. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 illustrate particularly the molded type, whereas Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the dipped type.

The skirt 5 may be provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing or stiffening spring or elastic ribs 23, if desired, to cause the jaws to be more firmly forced against the neck of the bottle.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that it is highly important therefore that the jaws not only constitute an efficient means for anchoring the nipple in position While first applying the nipple to the bottle and provide gripping means or the thumb and forefinger to complete the operation to place the nipple upon the bottle, but the jaws by being constructed and forming a definite part of the skirt and not merely an extension thereofjwill provide means for immediately snapping around the neck of the bottle and conform to the contour thereof. These jaws 8 are therefore essentially concave-convex in cross-section since they are constructed from the substantially tubular skirt and form a definite part of the skirt, the jaws only being separated through the medium of the longitudinally extending comparatively narrow oppositely disposed slots formed in the sides of the' skirt 5.

The skirt 5 may be provided with a suitable shoulder -IU which is conventional to the trade, formed upon the inner face of the skirt, and this shoulder may be of any suitable or desired character.

` In Figure 4 there is shown a modified form of my invention wherein a nipple ll is provided having a depending tubular skirt l2, this skirt I2 being also provided with longitudinally extending key-hole slots i3, each slot terminating at its inner end in an enlarged socket l 4 similar to that described in Figure 2. The sockets I4 terminate short of the bead portion 25 to provide a broad fiat contracting bottle neckfgripping band 26 located between the bead 25.and the sockets Ill. In this form shown in Figure 4, a bead I5 is formed only around the lower edge of the skirt i2. The slots l3.will divide the skirt I2 into a pair of flexible substantially concave-convex bottle gripping jaws I6.

In Figure 5 there is shown a further modified form of the invention wherein the nipple H is -provided with a depending slit skirt I8, this slit skirt i8 constituting a pair of substantially concavo-convex bottle gripping jaws 49. These jaws are provided through the medium of the longitudinally extending key-hole'slots 20. The structure shown in Figure 5 is that type of nipple which is known in the trade as the Black Band Nipple without the lower bead as illustrated either in Figures 2 or 4.

As is shown in Figure 6, the same structure described may be employed for producing a cap by providing a skirt which is longitudinally slotted inthe manner described and illustratedy similar to that shown in Figure 1.

In applying thenipple to a bottle, the forefinger of the left hand as shown in Figure 1 is placed in contact with one of the jaws 8 to abut against the lower bead 9 and this jaw is placed against the side of the neck of the bottle. The other jaw 8 is gripped between the thumb and foreflnger of the other hand and the jaws are pulled apart and the nipple is then fiexed over the bead 3 of the bottle whereupon the rolled portion 2| of the nipple will snap over the bead 3 of the bottle and upon the release of the jaws 8 their fiexibility will cause the skirt and jaws to snap closely against the sides of the bottle and will assist in holding the nipple in position. The wide fiat contracting bottle neck-gripping'band located below the bead portion of the nipple, in conjunction with the jaws of the skirt portion of the nipple will constitute an eiiicient means for firmly holding the skirt portion in contact with the neck of the bottle and cause the jaws and skirt portion to snugly fit against the bottle and prevent the edges of the jaws from being spaced from the neck of the bottle which would permit a baby to get its fingers under the jaws and by pulling upon the jaws away from the neck of the bottle, detach the nipple from the bottle.

The jaws 8 may, if desired, be provided with vacuum cups upon their inner faces in order to more effectively grip the neck of the bottle.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical. construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appendedV claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

l. A deviceof the class described including a depending skirt of fiexible elastic material, longitudinally extending slots being formed in the skirt from its lower end and terminating short of the upper end of the skirt to provide gripping jaws and a wide flat elastic expanding and contracting bottle neck-gripping band between the inner ends of the slots and the upper end of the skirt. l 2. A nipple of the class described including an elongated elastic skirt of flexible elastic material terminating at its'upper end in an outstanding bead portion defining an internal channel, said skirt having longitudinally extending slots leading from its lower end and,terminating yshort of the bead portion to provide a wide elastic flat contracting bottle neck gripping band directly between the bead portion and the upper ends of the slots, the fiat band being adapted to fit under the bead of a bottle neck about which the bead of the skirt fits and assist in holding the nipple upon the bottle, the slots in the skirt defining substantially concavo-convex elastic bottlegripping jaws which extend substantially entirely about a bottle neck and are adapted to snugly adhere to the` sides of a bottle neck to prevent the pulling of the jaws away from the neck of the bottle by the fingers oi a baby using the nipple.

3, A nipple of the class described comprising an elastic body having an elastic skirt portion depending therefrom; said skirt portion having longitudinally extending slots leading from its lower end and terminating short of the upper end of the skirt portion to provide a wide neck-gripping band between the upper ends of the slots and the upper endof the skirt, the slots in said skirt skirt and being formed with suction cups to firmly hold the jaws against the bottle.

4. A nipple of the class described including a skirt portion of flexible elastic material having longitudinally extending slots leading from its lower end and terminating short of the upper end of the skirt portion, reinforcing beads formed around the lower end of the skirt portion and along the edges of said slots for preventing the splitting of the skirt above the slots when the jaws are spread apart for placing the nipple upon or removing the nipple from a bottle neck, said slots in said skirt defining substantially semi-circular jaws vin cross section to extend substantially entirely about the bottle neck, the skirt and jaws being formed of flexible contracting elastic material whereby the jaws are adapted to snugly adhere to and grip around the neck of a bottle upon which the nipple is placed, and spring elastic ribs formed longitudinally of the skirt between.

the slots to assist in snapping the jaws snugly in contact with the neck of a bottle upon which the nipple is adapted to be placed. A

5. A nipple comprising` a body and a skirt portion depending therefrom and formed of exible elastic material, said skirt being formed withslits leading from its lower edge and terminating in spaced relation to its upper end to providefan unbroken upper portion for the skirt and circumferentially curved jaws of its lower portion hav-v ing their side edges in close proximity to each other, whereby the said Jaws will extend substantially entirely about a bottle neck and of their own resiliency have gripping engagement therewith, and an outstanding integrally formed bead extending along edges of the jaws to reinforce the jaws and impart added resiliency thereto.

. 6. A nipple comprlsinga body and a skirt portion depending therefrom and formed of flexible elastic material, said skirt being formed with slits leading from its lower edge and terminating in spaced relation to its upper end to provide an unbroken'upper portion for the skirt and circumferentially curved jaws of'its lower portion having their side edges in close proximity to each other, whereby the said jaws will extend substantially entirely about a bottle neck andof their own resiliencyhave gripping engagement therewith, and outstanding ribs formed integral with and extending longitudinally of the skirt between upper and lower edges thereof and disposed intermediate the side edges of the jaws for reinforcing the skirt and imparting added resiliency'to the jaws.l

YERVANT H. KURKJIAN. 

